Masonjoany

Masonjoany (Malagasy pronunciation: [masund͡zuanʲ]) (or msindanu or msindzano in Comoros and Mayotte)[a] is a cosmetic paste and sunscreen made of ground wood.

[2] In Comoros, the most commonly used tree for msindzano is Indian sandalwood (Santalum album), producing a "canary yellow" paste.

[5][6] The practice in Madagascar originates from cultural exchange in Nosy Be between Malagasy natives and Indian merchants, who first arrived to the island in the 11th century CE.

[7][8][9] Masonjoany is both protective and decorative: women wear it as sunscreen and insect repellent, and sometimes paint it in natural and abstract designs with a mix of contrasting white and yellow pastes.

Molecular biologist Gianfranco Rasuelo reported that a Malagasy woman he had met on the street had told him that yellow masonjoany was spread on the faces of widows in mourning, but noted that this information is apocryphal.